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'NiNoKuni': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about the anime film coming to Netflix

Based on the successful role-playing video game franchise 'Ni no Kuni', the film follows wheelchair-bound high school student Yu and his basketball player best friend Haru as they travel between our world and a parallel one

BY REMUS NORONHA

PUBLISHED JAN 15, 2020

The highly successful role-playing video game franchise 'Ni no Kuni' is getting the anime treatment in a new film produced by OLM, Inc. and distributed by Warner Bros. Entertainment.

The film, titled 'NiNoKuni', will arrive soon on Netflix and takes many elements from the games and weaves it into a fresh new story of love, loss, and betrayal. Here's everything you need to know about the project:

Release Date

The movie's world premiere already took place in Japan on August 23, 2019, and its English dub will be released on Netflix on January 16.

Plot

'NiNoKuni' follows wheelchair-bound high school student Yu and his basketball player best friend Haru as they try to save Kotona, Haru's girlfriend and Yuu's childhood friend, by traveling between our world and the magical world of NiNoKuni.

While there, they realize that this parallel world has counterparts of people from our world and when Yuu falls in love with Kotona's counterpart, the two best friends find themselves at odds with each other.

Here's the official plot synopsis: "Two average teens go on a magical quest to save the life of their friend and her counterpart from another world. But love complicates their journey."

Cast

Kento Yamazaki

The movie's lead character Yu is voiced by Kento Yamazaki, a Japanese actor who is best known for his work on 'Orange' (2015), 'Heroine Disqualified' (2015) and 'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable - Chapter 1' (2017). Other cast members include Mackenyu and Mei Nagano.

Director

Yoshiyuki Momose

'NiNoKuni' is directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, a veteran of Studio Ghibli, the studio that created the beautiful cut-scenes for the games 'Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn' and 'Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch'. The movie was written by Akihiro Hino.

Trailer

The trailer for 'NiNoKuni' (which you can check out on Netflix) introduces viewers to the movie's characters and the magical world they find themselves in.

The art for the movie is beautifully done and highly reminiscent of the game, so this might just be a fun, nostalgic watch for fans of the franchise while still being fresh enough to interest newcomers.